Usdaw calls for uncertainty to end over Safeway bids

Retail
union Usdaw wants to end to the uncertainty surrounding supermarket chain
Safeway following talks of a takeover.

Sainsbury
has announced that it is considering a bid for the retailer, and the American
owner of Asda, Wal-Mart, is also thought to be a potential bidder.

This
follows last Friday’s announcement by Morrisons that it had an agreed bid for
Safeway on the table.

Usdaw
general secretary Sir Bill Connor said: “This will do nothing for the thousands
of Safeway workers who are probably wondering which company they will be
working for in the next few months. It’s very unsettling for the workforce and
we believe it’s in everyone’s interests to end this uncertainty.

“Both
Sainsbury and Asda would face referral to the monopolies commission and would,
if successful, have to sell a large number of stores. This would prolong the
uncertainty for thousands of shopworkers and see the present retail shake-up go
on for months.

“The
attraction of the Morrisons’ bid is that it could be concluded quickly, it would
not involve the disposal of large numbers of stores, it would give UK consumers
a choice of four strong retail chains, and shopworkers could get on with their
jobs sooner rather than later.”